Hello Brighton!

Last week my boyfriend and I took some much-needed time away from the hustle and bustle of Birmingham, heading to Brighton for a couple of days. We’d never been before, but having heard so many good things about the city we certainly had our hopes set pretty high!

We definitely weren’t disappointed.

The journey from Birmingham New Street Station took approximately three hours, with a change of train in London. As students, we managed to get super affordable tickets with a discount thanks to our 16-25 Railcards, which I strongly recommend to everyone that qualifies for one!

The train station itself is adorable. I never thought I’d describe a train station as adorable and for that I apologise (it really is though – I mean, look at that clock).

Arriving at midday, we only had to walk a couple of meters to find Bagelman, Brighton’s well-known lunch spot with more bagel variations than I’d known exist. I went for the Hot Salt Beef Bagel and I would 100% recommend it (with American mustard, of course).

We then made our way down the high street, either side filled with mainstream stores with the odd independent coffee shop or gift shop now and then. However, I must say that I’m not used to walking past a large chain supermarket to find a stunning sea view just meters away. Accompanied by the city’s soundtrack that is a chorus of seagull squawks, we couldn’t ignore the fact that even the air was so much cleaner and fresher than what we’re used to in Brum!

We booked an Airbnb, which I’d never done before – I was pretty nervous about staying in a stranger’s house (hello anxiety my old friend) – so in true Nati style I knew the best way to make myself feel better was with food. Lo and behold, we entered the one and only Boho Gelato, Brighton’s renowned ice cream parlour that serves a range of delicious ice creams in often obscure flavours. That said, I did opt for Sea Salted Caramel, with the intention to try Cereal Milk next time!

We arrived at our Airbnb to be welcomed by our host, who was absolutely lovely and instantly made us feel at home. He collects art, so as a fellow creative we had a lot to chat about straight away! He also has a passion for history, which is what my boyfriend studies. All in all, we were very lucky to have a host with whom we had so much in common! The streets in the area are lined with pastel-painted houses that I still can’t get over, and our host even has an adorable labrador too!

From here our Brighton adventure began, with many sights, stores and snacks ahead!

Make sure to check back later this week for posts on where to eat, where to wander and where to shop in this beautiful little city, as well as what else we got up to!